The occupation of camps and cantonments no doubt usually combines with
the recuperation of the troops another object also, for example, the
covering a district of country, the holding a position; but it can very
well be only the first. We remind our readers that strategy may follow
a great diversity of objects, for everything which appears an advantage
may be the object of a combat, and the preservation of the instrument
with which War is made must necessarily very often become the object of
its partial combinations.
If, therefore, in such a case strategy ministers only to the
maintenance of the troops, we are not on that account out of the field
of strategy, for we are still engaged with the use of the military
force, because every disposition of that force upon any point Whatever
of the theatre of War is such a use.
But if the maintenance of the troops in camp or quarters calls forth
activities which are no employment of the armed force, such as the
construction of huts, pitching of tents, subsistence and sanitary
services in camps or quarters, then such belong neither to strategy nor
tactics.
Even entrenchments, the site and preparation of which are plainly part
of the order of battle, therefore tactical subjects, do not belong to
the theory of the conduct of War so far as respects the _execution of
their construction_ the knowledge and skill required for such work
being, in point of fact, qualities inherent in the nature of an
organised Army; the theory of the combat takes them for granted.
Amongst the subjects which belong to the mere keeping up of an armed
force, because none of the parts are identified with the combat, the
victualling of the troops themselves comes first, as it must be done
almost daily and for each individual. Thus it is that it completely
permeates military action in the parts constituting strategy—we say
parts constituting strategy, because during a battle the subsistence of
troops will rarely have any influence in modifying the plan, although
the thing is conceivable enough. The care for the subsistence of the
troops comes therefore into reciprocal action chiefly with strategy,
and there is nothing more common than for the leading strategic
features of a campaign and War to be traced out in connection with a
view to this supply. But however frequent and however important these
views of supply may be, the subsistence of the troops always remains a
completely different activity from the use of the troops, and the
former has only an influence on the latter by its results.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account